ATS Resume Checklist: 10 Things to Fix Before You Apply
4 min read
Before you submit another application, run through this checklist. Each point is a real reason ATS software rejects qualified candidates.
1. Single-column layout, no tables
Parsers read linearly.
2. Standard section headings
Contact, Summary, Experience, Skills, Education.
3. No icons/graphics for contact info or skills
Use plain text.
4. Contact info in the document body, not header/footer
Some parsers skip header and footer text entirely.
5. Keywords from the job description mirrored naturally, not stuffed
Mirror the posting's exact terms where truthful.
6. Standard, readable fonts
No scripts or decorative typefaces.
7. Dates formatted consistently throughout
For example, "Jan 2023 – Present" everywhere.
8. File saved as .docx or a text-based PDF
Not a scanned image.
9. Quantified achievements
Numbers, percentages, timeframes.
10. No spelling errors in section headers or company names
Some parsers fail to match misspelled fields.
Checking each of these manually is slow and easy to get wrong. ResumePass runs this exact check automatically and tells you precisely what's failing — free for your first scan.